Friday, June 27, 2008

Today's project, beside cleaning our office (yuck!), was this letter holder. I got it at the VOA for practically nothing. Now that it has had a makeover, I know I can sell it for something!

Here is the before picture:Here is the after:

Who doesn't love a little robin's egg blue in their life? Perfect to keep that mail off the entry way table or the kitchen counter. Don't ya think! The picture does not do it justice...too bright, but it is super sweet in person. I promise!

I am hoping to open a booth at the Craft & Antique Co-op soon and I need to get on some of my junk to fill it up. This was quick and easy. And best of all, I really needed to get it out of our office. What a mess that place was! I'm half way there!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

We are still enjoying a Garden Tour intermission, so I would look for your guidance on something else. The invitation sets that I purchased didn't come with a reception card, so I have to make one. I normally am a bit anal about these things, but I refuse to be when creating a 120 reception cards. I'll go insane and it's not worth it. So if you're on the invite list and your homemade card is cut a bit unevenly or mis-centered on it's background...turn a blind eye or deal with it!

I want to know if you think I should make them with or without the leaves? Maybe I'll share the whole invitation with you tomorrow. I'm trying to figure out how to cover certain details within the invite before I do it. Does anyone know how to do that? And don't say photoshop...because I only have the knock-off versions!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

We are taking a quick break from the tour to wash my patio furniture and give it a fresh coat of paint. I hope you don't mind. In the mean time, I need your help...

It's no secret that I can't keep my own secrets. I can keep other people's secrets like it's my job, but not my own!! Fortunately, this isn't really a secret. We plan to give cd's as thank you's for the bridal shower. And I guess the surprise/secret can still be the songs that are on the cd. I'd love for your opinion on the cover. It's a simple vote: black & white or color. Place your official vote in the poll on the right-hand sidebar.

I'm not going to tell you which I prefer, though I'm sure you all can guess! Our favorite song is Better Together by Jack Johnson, so we decided that we would title the cd Better Together.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Welcome back for day two of the tour everyone! I wish I could offer you all a snack, but I haven't even gotten around to having dinner myself, so that just is not happenin'!! Therefore, it will be b.y.o.s (bring your own snack) day. Hope you don't mind!

We are still in the back, side yard. And....we are still looking at planters. But don't worry, we will soon move to the other side!

Here you have Mr. B. He is pleasant - not the stinging kind. I assure you! He watches over the grill to be sure Josh is not undercooking my meat - yuck! Poor thing, I haven't decided whether that is a weed in his bucket (most likely) or a returning bloom from last year. We'll let it go a while longer just for fun. And don't any of you "smarty pants gardeners" ruin it for us, either. This is one of the several picket fence projects Josh worked on for me last year. It is missing a bottle or two thanks to Old Man Winter, which I will soon replace. For now I don't mind its imperfections. Hopefully you don't either. I love to watch pinwheels go round and round in the wind; but when they're made of metal they don't go round and round much at all. Just a tip...super cute, but BORRRING!

Another super cute planter, this time from the Christmas Tree Shop. You've got to love ceramic rain boots!

Ok...we will now scoot across the lawn to the other side. Maybe tomorrow you can lie down in the hammock, but for now stay focused. There's plenty more to see. Today you can peak at the hammock you'll be lying in tomorrow - up in the header (courtesy of last year's garden photos).One of two barrels and another Joanns clearance planter. This one is HEAVY!!! It had a ficus in it that I was keeping inside. What a pain! Then I killed the ficus (no, of course not on purpose sillies - wink wink) and brought the planter to the garden.

Here is where I may lose you, so try your best to stay with me. In our house, the dining room hangs over the foundation a few feet. This means there is an overhang with no support underneath. Can you picture this? The first floor of the house hanging out further than the basement walls go??? Are you with me folks? Anyway, it was gross under there when we moved in, so we filled it with stones and made it another container garden. If we planned on being here for a long time I'd most likely plant a rock garden under there. But for now.......we have a huge rock that looks like an alligator's mouth that we dug out of the creek by my parents. It is hard to see here, but the rock has an indentation that appears to be a reptile's mouth opening up to eat you!! The planter is from Big Lots.

There is also a $1 children's chair from a garage sale under there, with a little burlap, of course! It rests atop a landscape block.

Then there is this old heater as a stand with a great metal planter that has been left out to rust and perfect its patina. It has a pot of lamb's ears in it from my friend Nicky. You almost want to jump in there and snuggle up with them they're so soft!!

In addition to these things, I have a rocking chair planted with climbing seeds that have not fully grown yet, as I was late planting them. I also have a large sleigh seat (the type horses pull) from forever ago, that has been planted with the same climbing seeds. I will show you both of these when they are in bloom.

Well..that is where we must stop for today. You are all welcome back tomorrow for Part 3 of our tour and if you're lucky we may just make it to the hammock!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Tracey is hosting this very fun garden tour. I thought I ought to get on board after all the time I've (we've) spent lately in our garden and on our patio, rather than blogging!

I am beginning with side of our back yard, where we have many random, vintage/junk-inspired goodies. Though, there will be more to see each day this week. I know what you're thinking, but I promise not to disappoint!

A half-crock with freshly planted flowers from Joanns ....

(end of summer clearance two years ago) An old bike from my Grandmother's barn.... A discounted planter from Tuesday Morning....

(this is on our patio, so my apologies for digressing from the side of our yard)

Another planter from Joanns....

(also bought at the end of summer clearance two years ago)

An old, $2 milk can from an estate sale and yet another planter from that same Joanns sale....

Two things I should note:*I never, well almost never, buy planters in the spring or summer because you can get them so extremely cheap in the off seasons! This is with the exception of some "must-have-now" items. I can assure you I try my best to use unusual/recycled/free/vintage items to do my planting in, so I don't often find the need to purchase "must-have-now" planters. I like to use what I've got!!

*The cute little borders and adjustments on my photos were put on with Professor Franklin's Instant Photo Effects, which I won in an EBAY auction. This software was recommended by Tracey herself and I've had it quite some time. I've been too lazy to bust it out and use it up until now, but I'm soo glad I did. Fun, huh!!

Stop back tomorrow for more garden pics. I'm here all week...for the Garden Tour!

Monday, June 2, 2008

...you know, all two of you! No, really, several readers have asked me to share the dress picks after the little poll we had back in, hmmm...January, I think. Little did you know just how many things have evolved since then with these dresses. Let me just say - "Uggghh"! We'll leave it at that. Without further ado, here are the picks. Now I know they are tiny. I think if you click on them they will enlarge and probably conveniently open up the page where you can purchase one for yourself if your heart so desires. Yes, they are all quite different. I let the girl's choose what they wanted to wear. Hoping that they'd be more comfortable spending an entire day in such a thing, if they were to choose it themselves, there could be absolutely no complaining, right?! RIGHT, LADIES!!!! Think of it as a mini fashion show. Are you all thinking I'm crazy yet? It will be easier to picture on October 12th, when I actually show you a picture!! Envision each of them in a very dark, burnt orange color with ivory trim. And the opposite for the flower girls and myself (Oh, I wish I could show you mine!!). I know it's difficult, but JUST TRY!

Dress 1: Will be worn by future SIL - LindsayDress 2: Will be worn by Maid of Honor - MeghanDress 3: Will be worn by Matron of Honor - KatieDress 4: Will be worn by BJB - NickyDress 5: Will be worn by future SIL - Sarah

Dress 6: Will be worn by Junior Bridesmaid and Cousin - AlexisDress 7: Will be worn by older of two Flower Girls and future niece - Jada And, now, dresses 8 and 9: One or the other to be worn by the peanut of the two Flower Girls - Olivia. Help me decide which one. I thought 9 because it's floor length - same as everyone else's. But I just think 8 is too darn cute! Help!!!

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Why Aged Essence?

This is a blog about my life and my loves! I adore old "things". Anything and everything "aged" makes me HAPPY! There is a certain beauty or "essence" that comes with age. Hopefully others will enjoy seeing some of the treasures that I take so much pleasure in surrounding myself with. Enjoy your visit!